[attr="class","diana"]She didn't have a moment to say anything, Theo leaping past her as the spiritomb wisped in front of them. She reached a hand out, as if she was going to grab onto his shirt and stop him.

Her hand grabbed onto air.

When she opened her fist, there was a glowing soul instead of fabric, reflecting green light onto her face.

[attr="class","dianatag"]THEO BECKETT | steal a soul
+100 RKS points

[attr="class","diana"]This world was far from familiar. Something about it, the way the objects and land moved so freely as if they were suspended in liquid made Diana's blood chill.

She'd heard of the distortion. She never imagined that she would set foot in it.

A voice carried through the silence, robotic as it spoke from a rotom phone hovering nearby. Diana spotted the individual, standing on the floating rocks and regarding her with caution.

"How did we end up here...?" Diana asked stupidly, looking at the Poke ball that had remained in her grasp despite the sudden shift in environment. She latched it back to her waist, looking back at Fenelle.

"You may call me Diana. Do you know what's going on?"

[attr="class","dianatag"]Fenelle Miller | ghost tales e

[attr="class","diana"]His interested in their split stung Diana to the core. She'd thought many times about why Remiel Calcifet had left. She wondered many nights if her closest friend and fiancé abandoned them because of her. Or, she had a hopeful thought that perhaps, he was seeking help for his nation.

But as those months turned into years, she realized he was not coming back. And as a husk of her former self, she ensured her family she'd bring back good news to galar.

Be it by Remiel's head or otherwise.

"He left Galar as an ambassador, to come to Hoenn. Galar is a failed state. You must know that by now. We needed help. But, Remiel never came back."

Though, she admitted to him, "there's not much to tell about the past. We were simply to be wed, unify two powerful names into one and rule Hammerlocke with the same strength as his mother. He was my friend. I never loved him. I was just a girl."

And then, the penitentiary happened. "He told me, in the prison with those strange three Pokemon... the ones that chained us and tortured us. He couldn't afford to lose someone he'd loved. He told me that before he went back into the battle with the megaloplans."

Diana glanced back to Jayden. "Remiel Calcifet has a bleeding heart, despite what he might present to the world. He's always been soft. Rekindling our 'friendship' when I came here confirmed those feelings he had many years ago. I'm a ghost of his past, and he wants to protect that. And I can use it to meet our ends."

[attr="class","dianatag"]jayden cross | recruitment: act ii

[attr="class","diana"]A mega pokemon was not a creature Diana had the luxury to encounter in battle. Her past Interactions had been specifically with those of normal stature or gigantamax. Inwardly, she cursed howard slayte for focusing on one cause and not another.

Now she was blind-sided.

Though perhaps it was at her own fault that the former-royal hadn't trained in combat. After all, it was useless to someone who was supposed to sit and be silent all day.

walking wake screamed as the water shuriken struck its fur. Despite it formed from the same element that it thrived in, the water managed to pierce below and inflict a pain that enraged the ancient beast. It charged with breaking swipes, wildly trying to attack and bring down the mega-evolved creature.

And from the sky, her altaria attempted to attack, sending a moonblast downward to the Pokemon below.

[attr="class","dianatag"]silverio delfino | mask

[attr="class","diana"]The boy should have known, "sorry" wasn't going to cut it in war. He'd made a choice to attempt to cross the Rocket checkpoint to get into the city. He'd insulted her.

These things weren't easy to forgive. Especially when the insult ran deep, as the laugh of the pruning fezandipiti had in the depths of the prison.

It fueled Diana to continue her attack, despite the way her body was already beginning to scream in protest. She wasn't as strong as her Rocket counterparts. Even training with howard slayte didn't put muscle on her bones as she had rotten away in Remiel Calcifet's home for the past several months.

And, yet, she was a stubborn woman. She strived to prove a point.

"The stakes are always high in war. It's life or death. Maybe you should've thought of that before you decided to come here!" Her words were filled with poison that rivaled his Pokemon's poison jabs.

walking wake noticed crystalline patterns forming as the dunsparce began to spin with ice. It roared, tilting its head back as a blue kaleidoscope of color reflected from the sun. water tera energy radiated off of it as the attack struck.

It was weaker, substantially more than it would have been without the defense.

hydro steam burst forth, scalding water aiming to strike down the normal type.

Biscotti rolled Diana off of him, but she climbed back to her feet quickly. Her hand was balled in a fist as she threw it forward to attack him again.

[attr="class","dianatag"]Biscotti Kingsley | mask

[attr="class","diana"]The unintentional insult caused Diana's face to turn sour beneath her mask. And the poor boy realized a moment too late what mistake he'd made.

She was glad to see his face bleed.

"You should watch your mouth- and heed words of warning. Take this as a lesson." She twisted his wrist, looking up as a dunsparce emerged from its Poke ball.

The poisonous jab made the walking wake roar in annoyance, attacking with a strong breaking swipe.

[attr="class","dianatag"]Biscotti Kingsley | mask

[attr="class","diana"]Diana knew she had to be careful. She'd already failed to properly word her responses multiple times already. She looked at Jayden, her jaw set and a look of determination in her eyes.

"No. For me, Remiel Calcifet is merely a stepping stone to my goal. He is a traitor to Galar and an enemy to me."

She spoke without wavering. Because in that moment, she could only think of her family awaiting her return with good news.

[attr="class","dianatag"]jayden cross | recruitment: act ii

[attr="class","diana"]Strangely enough, Diana wandered down route 110, her face concealed and her body covered in an outfit that would disguise who she was. It would be hard enough to explain to a Leaguer why she was there.

It would be even harder if she ran into Remiel Calcifet.

Something was calling to her, a buzz in the air that told her to continue forward. There was a rustle ahead, someone or something in the tall grass. Her Poke ball at her side was swept into her hand.

"Who goes there?"

Until, all of the sudden, the world faded to black.

---

When she opened her eyes, she found herself on a floating rock, seemingly miles above the ground.

[attr="class","dianatag"]Fenelle Miller | ghost tales e

[attr="class","diana"]It was strange, seeing Howard smile and laugh. Though, it wasn't an unpleasant surprise. Despite her previous annoyance at his comment, Diana felt the corners of her lips twitch upward.

She'd deny her amusement if he pointed it out.

"I see. I still have much to learn about all of these gadgets." Dynamax made more sense, but sygna suits were another thing she had barely touched upon. She merely knew the name.

"No, thanks. I'd rather fight colossal again than see it."

As much as he hated walking wake, Diana felt the same regarding regice.

She recalled the beast of old back into its luxury ball, allowing it to rest up. The sandstorm was fading, the reflection of the sun bouncing off the newly formed glass on the ground.

"Complimenting me doesn't suit you, Mr. Slayte," she teased, though she came to sit on the dune beside him. "Do you really believe I have potential?"

Diana allowed herself to be vulnerable for just a moment. She needed this. She needed to prove herself to jayden cross. Otherwise, she feared that he'd kill her before she brought in Remiel Calcifet.

[attr="class","dianatag"]howard slayte | dynamax demo

[attr="class","diana"]Was Howard calling her fat? Diana's face heated to an angry red, her hands balled into fists at her side. "I am fit, thank you very much!"

Though, having been wallowing down on the couch and being told that healing took priority certainly removed some of the tone she had once had.

That was besides the point. His Pokemon fell into the sand pits, but that didn't mean that walking wake was alone. In fact, his claydol appeared to take on the fight.

"Is that one going to gigantamax too?" she asked. But there was a feeling of triumph when she had successfully quelled the giant colossal.

"I wouldn't be surprised. The bigger they are, the harder they fall."

[attr="class","dianatag"]howard slayte | dynamax demo

[attr="class","diana"]Remiel felt distant. He didn't feel present with her, like he was a million miles away from her instead of sitting a mere five feet away in the chair. Diana deflated, looking back sadly at her work.

"Thank you," she whispered to the glowing sinistea, holding the cup in her hands as she stared down at her reflection.

The ceramic burned her fingers, and yet, she didn't put it down. Her blue gaze was locked onto her reflection, distorted in the cup of tea. "Ugly. Disgusting. Useless. Worthless."

Pitiful."

Nausea rose in her throat as she set it aside perhaps a bit too quickly the tea threatening to slosh over the edge like a tidal wave. She swallowed before speaking again.

"It's been..." she trailed. "Quite lonely."

Perhaps FEZANDIPITI was right.

Diana set her work aside given her grip was so tight, it was threatening to puncture the canvas. "Can I ask you something?"

She didn't hesitate or wait for his answer. "Those Megaloplans. Why did you want to kill them?"

[attr="class","dianatag"]Remiel Calcifet | post prismatic penitentiary

[attr="class","diana"]Though he couldn't see it behind her mask, Diana's face contorted to a face of pure triumph as the gliscor fell from the sky. It retreated back to its ball, leaving walking wake the soul victor of a one-sided battle.

howard slayte would call her insane.

But, Howard wasn't here, was he?

"What are you thinking? Do you think this thing should be dead. I assure you..." Her voice trailed behind the distorter. "It's very much alive."

There were a few hits landed, boosting her confidence. The ancient water beast radiated that same confidence, its crystals appearing brighter. Until a thunderbolt struck it.

It didn't have a dual typing to negate the damage. Instead, it was stunned, electricity running through its body and sizzling the water vapor.

She drew it back for now, releasing her shiny ALTARIA. Her cottony down grew more dense, protected by COTTON GUARD as she SUNG.

[attr="class","dianatag"]silverio delfino | mask

[attr="class","diana"]His hand lowered. Diana didn't know what was hiding in his pocket. A wave of panic rushed through her body, enough to make her anxious enough to vomit.

So she moved on instinct. Her hand shot forward, slapping away the pizza box and reaching to grab his wrist.

"Stand down," she urged him, twisting his arm and pulling it back. She'd attempt to wrestle him to the ground, trying to pin him down with the weight of her body.

Behind her, a low growl rumbled. WALKING WAKE stepped forward, shining brightly with its water tera. It roared, springing forward to attack Biscotti.

[attr="class","dianatag"]Biscotti Kingsley | mask